A Review of "Legends & Lattes"

Because we need more cozy fantasy

Legends & Lattes is a novel by Travis Baldree that came out a few years ago and wowed the writing community, particularly because it is low stakes and cozy. There are no monologues or battle scenes, no journeys to find a mysterious artifact. The protagonist, Viv, is all done with that by the time we enter the scene on page one. The novel tells of how Viv, an ogre and ex-mercenary chooses to settle down and make a home for herself. She’s been saving her earnings for years and now she’s ready to lay down roots and start a store, a coffee shop to be exact. But in a city where no one has actually heard of the drink, it isn’t as easy as she would have hoped.

Stars: 4/5

As a lover of all things cozy, I appreciate that the stakes in this novel weren’t super high. Of course there are some issues that Viv has to overcome but nothing major. I also appreciate the way that Baldree gives us things and just expects us to know them. In my opinion, if I wanted in-depth discussion on how the world works, I’d read an appendix. He uses context clues and we’re expected to figure it out. That always makes for a more immersive read in my experience, no heavy exposition or info-dumping to take me out of the story.

I think that the only thing that would have made this better for me is the lack of a romance subplot. However, it doesn’t take away from the story. But I have just been on the lookout for books with no romance whatsoever, so if you know some let me know. And yes, I mean genre fiction that don’t have a hint of romance!

Overall, the book was a fun read and because of its low stakes, it is one you can put down and pick back up your leisure without having to try and remember who is who or what happened twenty pages ago. I grabbed mine from my local library and I highly recommend reading this novel if you’re in need of a break from high stakes thrillers or graphic horror. But, be warned, this is no epic quest or adventure…I mean, it takes place in a coffee shop after all!

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